𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞? 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐊𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐚'𝐬 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞?
Introduction The Pentecostal movement in Kerala began as a powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit, reminiscent of the explosive growth of the early church as seen in the Book of Acts. Characterized by spontaneous expansion, grassroots evangelism, and Spirit-filled leadership, the early 20th-century Pentecostal revivals in Kerala transformed lives and communities. However, the vibrancy that once defined this movement appears to have dimmed. Today, Kerala's Pentecostal churches confront stagnation, institutional fatigue, and diminishing societal relevance. This article integrates historical narratives with theological critique, drawing especially from Jeff Reed’s The Encyclicals (Chapter 8) and Roland Allen’s classic The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church , to trace how the original Spirit-led vitality of Pentecostalism in Kerala gradually shifted toward formalism and fragmentation. It offers an honest evaluation of both the strengths and weaknesses of the movement and proposes a...